Instrument panel switch with indicator lamp



April 20, 1965 E.ROHACS 3,179,777

INSTRUMENT PANEL SWITCH WITHINDICATOR LAMP Filed May 10, 1962 2Sheets-Sheet 1 2: i 1 t w r l2 4 20 I 26 23 I April 20, 1965 ROHACSINSTRUMENT PANEL SWITCH WITH INDICATOR LAMP Filed May 10, 1962 2Sheets-Sheet 2 3,179,777 INSTRUMENT PANEL SWITCH WITH INDICATOR LAMPEtienne Rohacs, Saint-Gratien, Seine-et-ise, France,

assignor to Socit Anonyme dite: Socit dApplications des MachinesMotrices Filed May 10, 1962, Ser. No. 193,707 Claims priority,application France, May 17, 1961, 86 47 1 Claim. (Cl. 200-167) Thisinvention relates to switches for aircraft instrument panels, and itsobject is to provide a push-button which will cause a normally closedcircuit to be opened and another circuit, normally open, to be closed,the latter circuit remaining closed so long as the push-button is heldin the depressed position. Another object of the invention is to obtaina switch of very small size by applying to the switching operationarrangements that are already known in connection with certainmicro-switches.

Another object of the invention is to combine the switch with anindicator lamp by means of which it is possible to ascertain that one orthe other circuit is in fact closed or in fact open.

With these objects in view, the invention comprises a switch controlledby a pushabutton movable in a direction regarded as axial, which switchcomprises four terminals divided into two groups of two terminalsdisposed in two axial planes atright angles to one another, and in whichthe contact surfaces corresponding to each group of two terminals aresituated in a contact plane perpendicular to the axis, and the twocontact planes thus defined are situated at a certain distance from oneanother, and a movable contact is so mounted as to be capable of beingdisplaced between the two contact planes so as to form, in each of itstwo extreme positions, a bridge between the two contact surfacescorresponding to two terminals of the same group, the movement from oneposition to the other being caused by the action of the push-button.

Preferably, the push-button will act on a head rigid with the movablecontact, through the intermediary of a spring comprising two parallelblades between which there is an interspace sufiiciently wide toaccommodate the head, but which define a throat that is too narrow topermit the head to get through into the interspace without pushing thetwo parts of the spring away from one another.

A casing containing the switch also contains a lamp connected to aworking circuit which is remote-controlled by means of the switch.

An embodiment of the invention chosen by way of example is illustratedin the accompanying drawings and is particularly described hereunderwith reference to these drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an axial section showing the push-button 3,179,777 PatentedAprrZO, 1965 The switch is secured by means of a flange 6 and a rubberring 5, between which the instrument panel is gripped.

A push-button 7 comprises two parallel spring blades 8 and 8 forming aresilient throat at 28. This spring acts on a head 9 of a rod 10carrying a movable contact Fixed contacts 12 and 13 of a first circuitwhich includes terminals 14 and 15, and fixed contacts 16 and 17 of asecond circuit which includes terminals 18 and 19, are immobilisedbetween two members 20 and 21 made of insulating material andaccommodated in a sheath 22 which contains the switching unit.

A base 23 is provided for support. i The rod 10 is guided by a plunger24 in a guiding cavit in the member 20. The push-button 7 is returned bya spring 25.

An indicator lamp 26 is mounted between the sheath 22 and the casing 2.The lampis electrically connected to a terminal 27 and to a secondterminal not shown in the drawings.

The manner of operation is as follows:

When the apparatus is in the position shown in FIG- URE 2, the circuitincluding the terminals 18 and 19 is closed, and the circuit includingthe terminals 14 and 15 is open. If the button 7 is pushed down, theblades 8 and 8 move apart from one another until they can pass the head9. At this moment, the head 9 rises abruptly and is then accommodatedbetween the blades 8 and 8, beyond the throat.

The circuit including the terminals 18% and 19 is thus opened, and themovable contact 11 closes the circuit including the terminals 14 and 15,the position being then as shown in FIGURE 1.

When the push-button 7 is released, the upward force exerted on thebutton by the spring 25 is strong enough to force the blades 8 and 8 tomove apart from one another and pass the head 9. At this moment the head9 descends abrutly, after passing the throat 28, and returns to theposition shown in FIGURE 2.

If the lamp is connected to the working circuit remote-controlled by thecircuit including the terminals 14 and 15, the lamp will indicate theapplication of voltage to the controlled circuit.

What I claim is:

A controlled device for mounting to a panel comprising a push-buttonswitch, said switch having four terminals divided into two groups of twoterminals disposed in two axial planes at right angles to each other,separate contact surfaces for each group of two terminals located fixedto said pushvbutton and consisting of two spaced parallel blades bentinwardly and outwardly relative to each other at their free end toprovide a throat portion forced apart by said head portion upon movementof said movable contact between said two extreme contact positions, saidcontact surfaces each connected to one of said two groups of terminalsto provide a circuit, and a indicator lamp connected to one of saidcircuits; a bell-shaped casing having means at one end for receivingcircuit leads, said indicator lamp and said switch mounted in saidbell-shaped casing, said indicator lamp being mounted between a sideWall of said housing and said casing, and mounting means at the oppositeend of said casing for securing said device to said panel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,518,255 8/50Roeser 200--76 5 2,722,579 11/55 Rohacs 200-77 2,847,559 8/58 Harringtonet a1 200-16 2,907,848 10/59 Bengtsson 200-16 3,040,142 6/62 Dietrich etal 200-167 BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner. 10 ROBERT K.SCHAE-FER, Examiner.

